Nicholas Ives - Testimony
I am Nicholas Ives and I am a recovering drug addict.
I was in active addiction for thirteen years and before coming into recovery my life had turned into total chaos.
I had become dependent on the drugs, I had bad friends, I was pawning goods, I was gambling, and my poor decision making were the main reasons why I lost my first business.
During the thirteen years of my addiction my habits controlled my finances causing me a lot of financial stress, missing my rental payments, having my vehicle repossessed numerous times, unable to buy my diabetic medication and the list goes on.
I lost friends to drug over doses and one of my closest friends was arrested in September 2014 for murder. I consider myself very fortunate to be here today.
One of the worst things is the pain I have caused the ones that love me the most – MY FAMILY!!!!
Drugs is a downward spiral of devastation and destruction and for me I was in total denial about my addictions, and I would tell myself that I had it all under control, although on a daily basis I could not get home on time, no matter how hard I tried. I would lie constantly, I suffered from paranoia, and I was going psychotic.
I even gave my wife a list of number plates from various vehicles that I thought were following me, I would walk around the garden late at night with my torch and batten as I was convinced I was being watched. My actions instilling fear into my wife and family.
Being Type 1 Diabetic, I was unable to keep control over my diabetes, the guilt and the self- destructing mentality, landing myself in hospital on three separate occasions.
I found the more lies I told and the deeper my secrets went, the further I pushed God and his principles out of my life.
I became very arrogant and self-centred, and it all became about me and my drugs.
My rock bottom was arriving home from a few days of bingeing, to find my wife and children not at home.
It was time to face reality, and come clean with my family.
I NEEDED HELP!!
Eventually admitting to my family about my addiction and my whereabouts, my uncle made a few phone calls, my father took me to the doctor for a medical, and from there my father and brother took me to Healing Wings.
At Healing Wings I completed a six month impatient program, and this is where my love for the Lord really grew. Healing Wings is a faith based program and with that you get a lot of time spending with the Lord.
I was baptised on the 10th March 2013 in Healing Wings and my relationship with the Lord is now better than ever.
Being a father of two amazing baby boy’s I was also very fortunate to complete the 12 week parental course at Healing Wings, giving me the insight as a parent into the communication and understanding of a child.
In Healing Wings I managed to complete the first four steps of the twelve step program, and that setting the foundation and equipping me with the tools I needed to continue with my program at Mighty Wings.
Since being at Mighty Wings I have completed the ERP, GAP and the twelve step programs.
The ERP program was a great reintegration program coming from an impatient facility, giving me the guidelines and tools in achieving a smart recovery, in my every day to day life.
Completing my step four and five was another big step to the healing process.
The Wednesday sharing group at Mighty Wings has helped me remain accountable, also advising if the choices and decisions I am making are of the smartest ones.
I then had the opportunity to apply for the Leading Edge- being the Peer Executive Council and management of Mighty Wings. In order to qualify you needed a minimum of ten months clean time for mentorship to take place. Once completing my mentorship I was blessed into the Leading Edge and since then I have seen myself grow.
Facilitating and sowing the word of God is such an honour. As much as I see my life taking shape, so I see the incredible changes in the people around me.
I have moved on from my old life with God truly working in my life. He has restored my near ending marriage with my beautiful wife Roxanne, with our marriage and relationship only but flourishing.
He has restored my relationships with my two baby boy’s, Ashton and Mason, and to tell you the truth I am the luckiest husband and father to be alive.
The Lord has restored confidence and trust in my family, and by doing so, they have been able to move on with their own lives.
My close family attended the supporter program at Mighty Wings where they were able to gain insight into the life of addiction and with the help of the program they are now better equipped with moving forward in their own lives. My family has been very supportive and as much as it has been a learning process for me, it has been a learning process for them too.
My wife, children and I have been living on our own for the past year and a half, exceling at our careers, our children have started school and we are very thankful for the blessings bestowed upon our lives daily.
What I can say is – Recovery is not easy, it is a process, One day at a time!!
I am 865 days clean and without the Lord at the centre of my recovery, I am lost. But when I stay in obedience to God, giving my life to his care and modelling my behaviour after that of his son Jesus Christ, I can be assured to experience constant victory after victory.
Matthew 7 verses 13 to 14: “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it”
Either we choose the pain of discipline, which comes from sacrifice and growth, or we choose the pain of regret, which comes from taking the easy road and missing opportunities…EACH PERSON IN LIFE CHOOSES!!
AMEN
I am Nicholas Ives and I am a recovering drug addict.
I was in active addiction for thirteen years and before coming into recovery my life had turned into total chaos.
I had become dependent on the drugs, I had bad friends, I was pawning goods, I was gambling, and my poor decision making were the main reasons why I lost my first business.
During the thirteen years of my addiction my habits controlled my finances causing me a lot of financial stress, missing my rental payments, having my vehicle repossessed numerous times, unable to buy my diabetic medication and the list goes on.
I lost friends to drug over doses and one of my closest friends was arrested in September 2014 for murder. I consider myself very fortunate to be here today.
One of the worst things is the pain I have caused the ones that love me the most – MY FAMILY!!!!
Drugs is a downward spiral of devastation and destruction and for me I was in total denial about my addictions, and I would tell myself that I had it all under control, although on a daily basis I could not get home on time, no matter how hard I tried. I would lie constantly, I suffered from paranoia, and I was going psychotic.
I even gave my wife a list of number plates from various vehicles that I thought were following me, I would walk around the garden late at night with my torch and batten as I was convinced I was being watched. My actions instilling fear into my wife and family.
Being Type 1 Diabetic, I was unable to keep control over my diabetes, the guilt and the self- destructing mentality, landing myself in hospital on three separate occasions.
I found the more lies I told and the deeper my secrets went, the further I pushed God and his principles out of my life.
I became very arrogant and self-centred, and it all became about me and my drugs.
My rock bottom was arriving home from a few days of bingeing, to find my wife and children not at home.
It was time to face reality, and come clean with my family.
I NEEDED HELP!!
Eventually admitting to my family about my addiction and my whereabouts, my uncle made a few phone calls, my father took me to the doctor for a medical, and from there my father and brother took me to Healing Wings.
At Healing Wings I completed a six month impatient program, and this is where my love for the Lord really grew. Healing Wings is a faith based program and with that you get a lot of time spending with the Lord.
I was baptised on the 10th March 2013 in Healing Wings and my relationship with the Lord is now better than ever.
Being a father of two amazing baby boy’s I was also very fortunate to complete the 12 week parental course at Healing Wings, giving me the insight as a parent into the communication and understanding of a child.
In Healing Wings I managed to complete the first four steps of the twelve step program, and that setting the foundation and equipping me with the tools I needed to continue with my program at Mighty Wings.
Since being at Mighty Wings I have completed the ERP, GAP and the twelve step programs.
The ERP program was a great reintegration program coming from an impatient facility, giving me the guidelines and tools in achieving a smart recovery, in my every day to day life.
Completing my step four and five was another big step to the healing process.
The Wednesday sharing group at Mighty Wings has helped me remain accountable, also advising if the choices and decisions I am making are of the smartest ones.
I then had the opportunity to apply for the Leading Edge- being the Peer Executive Council and management of Mighty Wings. In order to qualify you needed a minimum of ten months clean time for mentorship to take place. Once completing my mentorship I was blessed into the Leading Edge and since then I have seen myself grow.
Facilitating and sowing the word of God is such an honour. As much as I see my life taking shape, so I see the incredible changes in the people around me.
I have moved on from my old life with God truly working in my life. He has restored my near ending marriage with my beautiful wife Roxanne, with our marriage and relationship only but flourishing.
He has restored my relationships with my two baby boy’s, Ashton and Mason, and to tell you the truth I am the luckiest husband and father to be alive.
The Lord has restored confidence and trust in my family, and by doing so, they have been able to move on with their own lives.
My close family attended the supporter program at Mighty Wings where they were able to gain insight into the life of addiction and with the help of the program they are now better equipped with moving forward in their own lives. My family has been very supportive and as much as it has been a learning process for me, it has been a learning process for them too.
My wife, children and I have been living on our own for the past year and a half, exceling at our careers, our children have started school and we are very thankful for the blessings bestowed upon our lives daily.
What I can say is – Recovery is not easy, it is a process, One day at a time!!
I am 865 days clean and without the Lord at the centre of my recovery, I am lost. But when I stay in obedience to God, giving my life to his care and modelling my behaviour after that of his son Jesus Christ, I can be assured to experience constant victory after victory.
Matthew 7 verses 13 to 14: “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it”
Either we choose the pain of discipline, which comes from sacrifice and growth, or we choose the pain of regret, which comes from taking the easy road and missing opportunities…EACH PERSON IN LIFE CHOOSES!!
AMEN